CA denies existence of 'drug-culture' in Australian cricket

Cricket Australia said its two-strikes policy was robust.

Sydney, Oct 23 (ANI): Cricket Australia (CA) has claimed a strong anti-drugs culture at the top levels of cricket in the country ensures no player can indulge in taking drugs despite a leading player receiving an unofficial warning over an incident involving cocaine.

The player was not dealt with under CA's illicit drugs policy and did not return a positive test, but was spoken to about his behaviour in a social setting where cocaine and alcohol were being consumed, and it is not alleged that the player himself took cocaine.

CA said its two-strikes policy, which is stricter than the AFL's three-strikes model, was robust and that no current contracted player had tested positive.

"At an elite level we have well-established anti-doping and illicit drugs rules that our players are widely educated about and we are confident about the robustness of all that," the Age quoted a CA spokesman, as saying.

"We are also confident there is a strong anti-drugs culture at the elite levels of men's and women's cricket," he added.

Former Western Australian batsman Luke Pomersbach, who has been offered a second chance by Queensland, recently spoke about his past abuse of drugs and alcohol.

Shane Warne was suspended for 12 months after testing positive to a banned diuretic in 2003.

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